A Little Birthday Fun ~ Saint Paddy's Style

Can anyone else hardly believe that April feels like it's just around the corner?  Where did the month of March go?  I guess it's time to start thinking about decorating my shelves for Easter.

Here is a close up of the 4-leaf clover garland I made.

Now onto the fun stuff...

Our little Isabella's birthday was last Wednesday.  We knew that Jeff would have no free time until Saturday, so we decided it would be better to wait and celebrate as a family.  I think Bella woke up at around 3:00 in the morning.  When Jeff went into her room to try and put her back to sleep she kept asking him, "Daddy what are all these balloons for?!?"  He gently walked her back to bed and told her that she needed to go to sleep.  By 6:30 she was wide awake and ready for her birthday celebration to begin.

This little one LOVES donuts, so Daddy and her made a run to the grocery store to pick up some breakfast donuts and chocolate milk.

Once breakfast was over she quickly wanted to move on to opening gifts.  Every time she opened something she would hug it, and kiss it.  It was pretty cute to see how excited and happy she was.

My dad has decided that he wants to make all the kids a birthday gift this year.  At Christmas time I was telling him how he should make each family their own little manger.  When we were kids we had a wooden manger that sat on our piano during the holidays, with a bag of straw next to it.  Every time someone did something nice for someone else they got to put a piece of straw in the manger.  It was so fun to see on Christmas day the manger full of straw.  This is what my dad sent Bella for her birthday.  I really hope she loves starting that tradition with her own family one day.

One of Bella's favorite gifts was a new bike.

We knew that we wouldn't be able to not give Logan one two, so we were extremely lucky when we found an awesome deal on the bikes at Kmart.  

Jeff spent about an hour putting them together before he had to head off to school and do some more studying.

Her first go on her new bike. 

Logan hopped on his bike, and immediately took off.  He LOVES his new bike, and finally feels like he can keep up with the neighborhood kids.  The poor guy kept trying to take other kid's bikes because he wanted to ride so badly.

The other thing I wanted to do for Bella's birthday was take her to a store called Charming Charlie.  Jeff's Aunt kept telling me about it, and it sounded like a place that would be perfect for Bella.  The whole store is color coordinated, and is pure bliss to a little girl (or big girls).  If you want to see their website click here.

I think Bella was a little overwhelmed when we first walked in.

She had fun trying on necklaces, bracelets, and rings.

She went throughout the store putting things in her little basket.  After we had been there for about 20 or 30 minutes I told her she could pick out two things.  After looking at all the things in her basket she said, "That's okay Mommy I don't need anything."  I tried to tell her that she could pick something out, but she was adamant that she didn't need anything.  I suggested we walk over to Old Navy and see if there was a new dress she wanted.  When we got there she didn't see anything that she wanted until she spied the HUGE gumball looking machine filled with giant bouncy balls.  She excitedly exclaimed that was what she wanted, and she needed to get one for Logan and Lincoln.  After our whopping .75 purchase we were happily on our way to track down the boys.

 Once Daddy got home from studying we finished out the night with cake and ice cream.  Daddy and Bella decided on a strawberry Ariel cake.

  Every year when Bella's birthday rolls around I find myself thinking back to where we were on that day.  

I still can't believe how lucky we were to end up with the children we have.  I feel so blessed to have them call me Mommy. 

 I think about when Jeff and I held this little girl in our arms for the first time.  All those feelings of hurt and pain just melted away the moment I saw her for the first time.

She has brought so much love and joy into our home and our hearts.  We are all better people for having known our beautiful Isabella.  I know my Heavenly Father better because I know Bella.

She is full of spunk and personality.  Some days I wonder how in the world are we going to be able to raise such a headstrong and determined little girl, but then I remember that I wouldn't want her any other way.  Thank you for making these past four years some of the best years of my life.  I love you forever and always!

 On another note while everyone was enjoying cake and ice cream that night our little Logan was complaining about his ear hurting him.  We debated about taking him into the emergency clinic, but when he got to the point that he didn't want to eat cake and he was crying out in pain I decided enough was enough. 

Him and I headed off to the emergency care.  Now most people would say easy enough, no not for our little Logan.  He refused to go in to see a doctor.  He was screaming, crying, and yelling.  I couldn't even get him out of the car.  I was calling Jeff asking him why in the world he thought it was a good idea to have me do this.  It was not a good evening for any of us.  I finally had to pick him up and carry him into the office.  The poor people in the waiting room must have thought he had lost a limb or something.  It was insane!  

What was even more crazy is that as soon as we walked through the doors to the examine room he immediately calmed down.  He did everything the nurses asked him to.  I just looked at him and wondered to myself, "Who are you, and what did you do with the other Logan?"  It was good I took him in because he had a double ear infection, and was quickly given a prescription for some antibiotics.  The funniest thing about this whole story is the conversation that took place between Bella and Logan the next morning at the kitchen table...

B: Did Mommy take you to the doctor?

L:  Yep, it was great!  I even got a Popsicle.

B: Where is it?  I want some.

L: I ate it all, and it was yummy.  Maybe if you go to the doctor you can get one too.

What no mention of the crying hysterics that took place or the melt down of all melt downs?!?

So after all that fun Jeff said he was coming down with something as well, and ended up sleeping in till noon on Sunday.  Hopefully he was able to prevent getting more sick, because the kids and I have all come down with the flu.  Yep over the last couple days we have been running fevers, runny noses, the kids have coughs,  all in all just feeling crummy.  We are all going a little crazy having to be inside 24-7.  Let us hope that we are soon on the mend, so we can resume our normal life again.  On the upside thank heavens for awesome neighbors who bring over delicious mint chocolate cupcakes.  Just when I am at my wits' end the girls showed up like little angels on my doorstep.  Life is about the simple joys. :)